Traveling along the Underground Railroad

Traveling Along the Underground Railroad - Student Arts Competition

June 16 - 22, 2003

 In celebration of the Underground Railroad heritage of our farm, Murphy Orchards will host Expressions of Freedom - An Underground Railroad Arts Festival on Sunday September 7, 2003. The event will feature artistic works and performances by area artists and artisans, unified by the common theme of the celebration of freedom.

As an important part our festival, we invited area schoolchildren to participate in Traveling Along the Underground Railroad - Expressions of Freedom Student Arts Competition, through which they could creatively express their interpretations of the role the Underground Railroad played in New York State and American history, as well as the lives of those who were directly involved in escaping from slavery, or in helping others escape from slavery.

The competition was open to students from grades 4 through 12, in media ranging from pencil drawings to poetry. Please click here for complete guidelines.

Entires were displayed at the Lockport Mall, Lockport, NY, during the week of June 16th, 2003. First Place and Honorable Mention in each category for each age division were awarded on Sunday June 22.

Performing during the reception were Jenna Cardone, Louise Williams, Jordan Perry and Desiree Linderman of Mrs. Burke's 4th grade class at Washington Hunt Elementary School in Lockport, NY. They performed a medley of works which they compiled themselves.
Also unveiled was the massive sculpture created by Mrs. Gallagher's 4th and 5th grade art students at Colonial Village Elementary School (Niagara-Wheatfield School District). Mrs. Gallagher and Mr. Specht - student teacher - worked with about 180 students to complete the piece entitled "Freedom to Think Outside the Box". The sculpture will be transported to Murphy Orchards for display throughout the summer.
This intricate landscape sculpture of a farm was submitted by Mr. Thibault's 6th grade art class of Newfane Middle School, Newfane, NY. Featuring a red gambrel-roofed barn and white farmhouse, the landcape also has a creek with movable boat, trees and small figures representing people escaping from slavery.
. . . And
the
Winners
are . . .
 Elementary (grades 4 and 5):

Literature:

  • First Place: Jenny Kwoka, Washington Hunt Elementary School, Lockport
  • Honorable Mention: Kelsey Covell, Washington Hunt Elementary School, Lockport

Visual Arts:
  • First Place: Mrs. Gallagher's 4th and 5th Grade Art Classes, Colonial Village Elementary School, Niagara-Wheatfield
  • Honorable Mention: Ashley Teaven, Washington Hunt Elementary School, Lockport

Graphic Arts:

  • First Place: Kayla Bogar and Samatha Halifax, Washington Hunt Elementary School, Lockport
  • Honorable Mention: Kyle Kazinski, Grade 4, Hamburg

Music:

  • First Place: Kyle Kazinski, Grade 4, Hamburg
  • Honorable Mention: Jenna Cardone, Louise Williams, Jordan Perry and Desiree Linderman, plus Alyssa Harris who was unable to attend, Washington Hunt Elementary School, Lockport

Intermediate (6th, 7th and 8th grades)

Literature:

  • First Place: Jenna Carnahan, DeSales Catholic School, Lockport
  • Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Dernbach, DeSales Catholic School, Lockport

Visual Arts:

  • First Place: Mr. Thibault's 6th Grade Art Class - Barn Landscape Sculpture - Newfane Middle School, Newfane
  • Honorable Mention: Tie
    • Mr. Thibault's 6th Grade Art Class - Maps and Posters - Newfane Middle School, Newfane
    • Anthony D'Addeo and Ryan White, DeSales Catholic School, Lockport
Great
Job!
In developing the guidelines for this arts competition, we looked to New York State Education Standards in various curriculum areas, including the Arts, Social Studies, and English Language Arts. For example, The Arts, Standard 4, calls for students to "develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society", while Social Studies, Standard 1, calls upon students to utilize " a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments and turning points in the history of the United States and New York."

Winning entries are invited to be displayed and/or performed as part of Expressions of Freedom - An Underground Railroad Arts Festival on Sunday September 7th, 2003 at Murphy Orchards, 2402 McClew Road, Burt, New York.

For additional information, please contact Carol Murphy or Ellen Platt by phone at (716) 778-7926. Or, feel free to eMail us.

Murphy Orchards is a Charter Member site of the National Parks Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

 

 


2402 McClew Road - Burt, NY 14028
Tel: (716) 778-7926 - Fax (716) 778-8979

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